The work of Seth Shostak (1) of SETI (2) has always been a source of hard
science about extraterrestrial intelligence for me. A paper published this month
by Nathalie A. Cabrol is a fresh new look at the roadmap of SETI (3).

At least since the times of Johannes Kepler, the subject of extraterrestrial
intelligence has been discussed by scientists and such efforts have increased
manyfold after the start of SETI over 30 years ago and with the more recent
launch of Kepler Space Observatory in 2009. Nonetheless, we are increasingly
focused on Earth-like planets.

Fortunately for the new roadmap of SETI, Dr. Cabrol is suggesting to go beyond
anthropocentric outlook to include looking for "life as we do not know it"(3).
But maybe we need to go one step further and not limit ourselves by "life" and
also search for intelligent things in the universe that are not life.

Considering the above objective, we may not need to focus so much on Earth-like
planets and can start searching for intelligence even in planets and moons of
our own solar system that are not Earth-like. The Sun and stars could also be
such targets. After all, if with time, humans become more and more
non-biological beings, our first choice of dwelling may no longer be a planet
with biological life.